Iran: Pastor Nadarkhani Jailed Again

Iran: Pastor Nadarkhani Jailed Again

It was a bad Christmas for Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who has been returned to jail on an earlier charge, ASSIST News Service reports. In September, a court acquitted Nadarkhani of apostasy, but sentenced him to three years for evangelizing Muslims. Since he had already spent close to three years in Lakan Prison in Rasht, Nadarkhani was released after posting bail. However, sources at Christian Solidarity Worldwide now report that Nadarkhani has been returned to jail on the orders of the directors of Lakan Prison, who claimed he had been released several days too early due to the insistence of his lawyer, Mohammed Ali Dadkhah. "We are disappointed to hear Pastor Nadarkhani has been returned to prison in such an irregular manner," said Mervyn Thomas of CSW. "The timing is insensitive and especially sad for his wife and sons, who must have been looking forward to celebrating Christmas with him for the first time in three years. We hope that Pastor Nadarkhani will be released without delay once this alleged sentence has been fully served. We are also asking for prayers for the pastor's safety, and for his family at this difficult time."